Net-lifting device



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

`J W ATWOOD 'NET LIFTING DBvIcE.

a. nted Deo. 1. 1896.

rlllllriv No. 572,399. Wfl' IH Dn 0 T N E V N Arofmfys.

1n: xmms vrins cu. PHGULLITHQ. wAsHlNroN. DA c.

V2 Sheets-Sheet 2. v

(Nb model.)

J W ATWOOD NET 'LIFTING- DEVIGB. No. 572,399.

Patented Dec. 1, 1896;

ATTORNEYS.

. t /if/ fl* UNITED: STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WALTER ATwOOD, OE MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASS'IGNOE To HIM- SELE,AND THE A. BOOTH PACKING COMPANY, OE oHIOAeo, ILLINOIS.

NET-LIFTING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 572,399, dated December1, 1896.

Appnason fuea November 22,1895. sain No. 569,805. oro model.)

To all whom t mar/ concerm Be it known thatI, JOHN WALTER ATwooD, ofMalden, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented a new and Improved Net-Lifting. Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedlifting-machine more es- Io pecially designed for taking up or haulingin gill fish-nets, fish-trawls, or Set lines or ropes in a very simpleand effective manner.

The invention consists principally of arev- Oluble drum carrying at itsperiphery clamps I5 adapted to engage the net, line, or like device andrelease the same after drawing it a suitable distance. The inventionalso consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same,as 2o will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in theclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings', forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement as applied and with thevessel in section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the improvementwith part broken out and show- 3o ing by dotted lines the position ofthe cam for opening the clamps. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation ofthe same on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan View ofpart of the drum on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 3 5 5 is a frontelevation of the'same with parts broken out. Fig. 6 is a plan view of ahereinafter-fullydescribed part.

The improved machine is mounted on a suitably-constructed frame A, inwhich is 4o erably made hollow, and on which is loosely mounted a drumC, carrying at its periphery a series of clamps D, each independent ofthe other and placed suitable distances apart,

v as plainly indicated in Fig. 2. Each of the clamps D is provided witha block D', made of rubber or like elastic material and held in abearing or guideway D2, secured to the peripheral surface of the drum O.The top 5o of the block D is attached by a plate D5,

journaled a vertically-disposed shaft B, prefheld on a screw D4,screwing in a lug C', projecting from the drum C.

Directly below thev block Dl is arranged a movable clamping-block D5,fitted to Slide in suitable bearings D, likewise secured to theperipheral surface of the drum C, as plainly illustrated in Figs. 4 and5, and the lower end ofthis block D5 is pivotally connected by links D7with the upper end of a springpressed lever D8, the links beingconnected 6o at the lower edge thereof. The adjacent ends of the blockD5 and the lever D8 are beveled, so that when the said lever DS is in avertical position the block D5 and said lever are in alinement and theblock D5 is in an upper- 65 most position to securely engage and clampthe net, line, or like device. vThe lower ends of the levers DS of theclamps D are respectively provided with retractile Springs D10, thesprings being connected to their respec- 7o tive levers and to the tableI, to be hereinafter described. The springs tend to draw the levers Dsoutward, so as to swing the blocks D5 upward and cause them to engagewith the blocks D. l/Vhen, however, the drum C revolves to bring thelevers D5 into contact with the cam E, the cam Inoves the levers inward,so as to permit the blocks D5 to drop and open the clamps, suchOperation being against the tendency of the springs D10. 8o

A yielding connection is made between the drum C and the hollow shaft B,and for this purpose springs Il are provided, secured at their innerends to collars H', fastened on the hollow shaft B, while the outer endsof the said springs are fastened on pins H2, secured to the top andbottom of the drum C. Now it will be Seen that when the shaft B isrotated a like Inotion is given to the drum C, and the clamps D areopened and closed durf 9o ing one revolution of the drum, so that anyarticle passing in the Space between the two blocks D' and D5 is clampedin between the blocks upon the block D5 closing by the ac# tion of thecam or guideway E. The article thus clamped is carried around on thedrum until iinally the clamp opens by the cam or guideway E acting onthe lever D8 to swing the latter in an inclined position. v

The yielding connection between the drum Ioo C and the hollow shaftB ismade for the purpose of compensating fer any slip or uneven pull causedby the article clamped between the blocks D' and D5 of the clamps, sothat the driving mechanism for ilnpartin g a rotary motion to the shaftB is not disturbed. The shaft B is made hollow to permit of introducingsteam through a pipe B to heat the drum C, so that the clamps workproperly in cold weather, especially if ice or snow tend to block theclamps. The steam passing into the pipe B can readily pass into the drumC through perforations C2, formed in that part of the pipe extendingwithin the dru'in.

A revolving brush F serves to remove the line, net, or like arti-clefrom the clamps as soon as they open, and this brush Fis secured in theupper end of a shaft F', journaled in the frame A and connected by apulley F2 and belt F3 with the hollow shaft B. Thus when the latter isrotated a rotary motion is given to the dru-m C and the said brush F forthe purpose previously stated. A rotary motion is given to the shaft Bby a suitable motor, preferably Ian engine G, located on the frame `Aand carrying on vits main shaft G' a beveled gear-wheel VVG2 yin meshwith a beveled gear-wheel G3, secured on a shaft G4, extendingvertically and journaled in suitable bearings in the main frame A.

On the shaft G4 is fastened a pinion G5 in mesh with a ygear-wheel G6,secured on the shaft B, so that when the engine is set in motion arotary motion is transmitted `to the said shaft B by the gear-wheel G6,pinion G5, shaft G4, and beveled gear-wheels G3 and G2, of whichthelatter is secured on the main shaft yG of the saidengine.

lVhen the machine is used on the deck of a vessel, as illustrated inFigs. l and 3, then the shaft B is disposed vertically and the drum C issurrounded by and supports a circular table I, 'which revolves with thedrum and has its top surface slanting upwardlyand outwardly, as plainlyindicated in Fig. The net, line, vor other device to be clamped passesup the -table I into the space between the blocks D and VD5 of an openclamp D, to -be there engaged upon the clamp closing, as previouslyexplained. From this table I extends a stationary table J at one side ofthe vessel to a guiding device K, supported Von the rail of the vesselL, as plainly indicated in Fig. l. This guiding device K is providedwith a horizontally-disposed roller K and two vertically-disposedrollers K2 at the ends `of theroller K. The top surface of the latterleads onto the .table J, and the net., line, or like device passing fromthe water upward is engaged between the rollers -K2 and passes `over theroller E to the table -J and from .the latter to the circular table I,to be engaged by the clamps D, as previously explained. Now as the drumC rotates, the net, line, or like device is dragged along to be finallyreleased on the opposite side from that on which it was clamped. As theclampsD follow one another upon closing, a continuous grip is had on theline, net, -or like device, so that the said net or line is readilydrawn up from the water and passed into the vessel L.

The device may b'e used directly over the water, and in this case thetables I and J and the guiding device K are entirely dispensed with andthe frame A is mounted on a turntable secured to the side of the vesselL, with the shaft B extending horizontally. The net, line, or likedevice is then passed between the open clutches to be clamped thereinand carried upward by the revolving drum, to be finally released whenthe respective closed clamp reaches the inside of the vessel.

I do not limit myself to the special means shown for closing and openingthe clamps, as other devices, such as springs, may be used. Furthermore,the yielding connection between the shaft B and the drum C'may beentirely dispensed with and the said drum directly fastened to the shaftB by suitable means for instance, by pins H3 ypassing through thecollars H and engaging the top and bottom of the drum C, as shown inFig. 3.

Having thus .fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patentl. An apparatus of the class described, providedwith a revoluble drum, clamps arranged on the periphery thereof, eachclamp comprising an velastic block, a .guid'eway for the same, anadjustable plate engaging `the top of the block, a movable blockdirectly oppo site the said elastic block, alever pivotedon same, vanadjustable plate engaging the top of the block, a movable blockdireetlyopposite the said lelastic block, a .lever pivoted on the drum andadaptedto laciuate the said movable block, the adjacent ends of'the'said movable block and lever being'beveled, a cam capable of movingthe lever, and a spring pressing the lever, substantially .as shown anddescribed.

3. The combination with a frame, of a vertical shaft revolublyinountedtherein, a drum. fixed to the shaft, a series of stationary blocksycarried by the drum, a movable block for each stationary block vandcarried by the drumand capable of sliding toward and from .therespective stationary blocks, levers fulerumed on the drum, linksrespectively connecting the levers .and 4the movable blocks, a tableoutrunnin g from the drum and moving therewith, retractile springs:respectively connected to the levers and .to the table, and a cam fixedto the frame and capable of being IOO IIO

tivelyslicling toward and from the stationar7 1o blocks, leversfulcrumed to the drum, links respectively connecting the levers andmovable block, springs pressing the levers, and a cam for moving thelevers against the tensions of the springs, substantially as clescribed.

J OI-IN VALTER ATWOOD.

lVitnesses:

- E. W. MILLER,

JOHN W. GILLIc-AN.

